Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent conversations her Department has had with platforms on the technological feasibility of offering regional prominence.

The Department engages regularly with stakeholders – including TV platforms – on all aspects of the Media Bill, including matters relating to prominence.

In particular, the Bill was published in draft on 29 March 2023 and the Department subsequently engaged with key stakeholders to ensure that it would deliver the desired outcomes for industry and audiences. The Bill also underwent pre-legislative scrutiny conducted by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

Following this engagement, we are confident that the measures set out in the Bill, including in relation to regional prominence, are technologically feasible.